#93 of 160 Panama City Beach Restaurants

Pelican’s at Sheraton PCB Resort

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Pelican’s Bar & Grill in Panama City Beach: Awesome Waterside Setting & Fun Beach-Bar Atmosphere: TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Situated at the end of the pier at Sheraton’s Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Pelican’s is an open-air bar with a completely killer location. The pub-grub menu and the cold brews, wine, and cocktails are all solid and get an extra punch given you’re enjoying them steps from the water. Live music and occasional dolphin sightings complete the picture.

- The FloridaPanhandle.com Local Expert Team

Follow the long boardwalk out to Alligator Point and the end of the pier at Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, and you’ll come to Pelican’s Bar & Grill: one of the more notable open-air beach bars in the PCB area thanks to its location alone.

Said location is really hard to beat, given you’ve got front-row seats to placid lagoon waters and views out to St. Andrews Bay. Many come here by the boardwalk, but you can also pull up to the dock in your kayak, powerboat, or whatever other watercraft you happen to be piloting for some ready-to-hand refreshments.

And you can’t exactly miss Pelican’s, not with its colorful green, yellow, and orange getup. Cast against the Alligator Point pines, the blue of the lagoon and bay, and the golden sands, this waterfront bar manages to be more handsome than average even though there’s nothing particularly fancy about the joint. (Who needs fancy in a beach bar, anyhow?)

The food’s typical seaside pub grub. You’ve got a full arsenal of starters that pair perfectly with a cold beverage: from nachos and quesadillas to fried calamari with a romesco dipping sauce and wings served with your choice of sauces and rubs. 

Entrees include a highly respectable burger (see below) as well as a much-touted Cuban sandwich, plus fried shrimp, catfish, or jerk chicken po’boys and a chicken caesar wrap. You can also go the extra-greasy route with a basket of fried fish, fried Gulf shrimp, or chicken tenders. All these come with your choice of fries, fresh fruit, or a side salad. Pelican’s also whips up some tasty tacos: chicken, fish, and Dirty South Shrimp.

As far as drinks go, you’ve got all sorts of beer to choose from—including some local craft brews on tap—as well as wine and specialty cocktails such as the signature Pelican’s Punch, margaritas, and daiquiris.

Pelican’s hosts regular live music, from acoustic singer-songwriters to bands. That’s not the only entertainment, either: Given the waterside setting, you’ve got a good chance of seeing everything from cruising seabirds and fish to a glimpse of a dolphin flyby. (Watch for those glossy backs and rounded dorsal fins.) 

Even if friendly marine mammals aren’t making any cameos and the bar stage is quiet, evening diners at Pelican’s are assured a good time thanks to those Emerald Coast sunsets: Definitely something to raise a glass to!

Not let’s take a salty plunge into some menu highlights at Pelican’s Bar & Grill!

The Big Bay Burger
Sometimes—even on the Emerald Coast with its abundant, delectable seafood—nothing hits the spot like a juicy burger. Pelican’s delivers with its Big Bay Burger, a hefty 8-oz. patty of Angus beef served with lettuce, onion, and tomato as well as your choice of cheese (American, Cheddar, Swiss, or Pepper Jack). This is a two-handed, sink-your-teeth-in lunch or dinner that—like everything else here—gets some added seasoning from the sights and sounds of the bayfront.

Peel & Eat Shrimp
All our burger-extolling aside, you really ought to consider some seafood, of course, while visiting Pelican’s Bar & Grill. The peel-and-eat shrimp are a surefire choice, served with lemon and some always-tasty cocktail sauce. Simple and soul-satisfying!

Grilled Mahi-Mahi Taco
Zesty’s the word when it comes to the Pelican’s Bar & Grill fish tacos. Some succulent grilled mahi-mahi comes dressed with a lip-smacking Caribbean slaw as well as black beans and roasted corn. You’ll have chips and salsa on the side, to boot—a match made in heaven.

Come sunset, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to be than kicking back at a brightly colored table at Pelican’s Bar & Grill at the Sheraton PCB Gulf & Spa Resort, drink in hand!

Insider Tips:
– If you’re a guest of the Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, you can take advantage of the free shuttle from the hotel out to Pelican’s, skipping the long-ish boardwalk stroll. (The resort’s private beach is close at hand as well.)
– You must walk a very long boardwalk to get to this location – but the view is beautiful.